Located in Pickens County, South Carolina, South Carolina Botanical Garden is a botanical garden at about 232 m (761 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Clemson, about 1.7 km (1.1 mi) away (South Carolina Botanical Garden lies SE of town).
The South Carolina Botanical Garden 295 acres (1.19 km2) is located in Pickens County, South Carolina on the campus of Clemson University, adjacent to the City of Clemson. This garden has nature trails, pathways, ponds, streams, woodlands, trial gardens, the Bob Campbell Geology Museum, and the Fran Hanson Discovery Center, which has exhibits by local artists. It is open to the public every day of the week. The Bob Campbell Geology Museum features more than 10,000 rocks, minerals and fossils and has exhibits focused on geological and paleontological topics. The gardens are the home of the historic Hanover House, which is an early 18th-century house built in the South Carolina Low Country and moved to the Clemson campus. It also has a pioneer village featuring the Hunt Log Cabin, which was originally built about 1825 in the Seneca, South Carolina area.From the Wikipedia article “South Carolina Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South Carolina Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 61° ENE | 8:48 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 118° ESE | 5:25 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 50m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:49 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 51m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From South Carolina Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 6:13 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:46 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 4:23 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:58 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 1:03 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 10:55 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 9:02 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.43 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (57%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74 | 77 | 83 | 89 | 98 | 109 | 108 | 107 | 101 | 101 | 84 | 77 |
| Low °F | 11 | 11 | 16 | 24 | 39 | 52 | 59 | 56 | 44 | 29 | 21 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 5.0 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of South Carolina Botanical Garden, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Twin Lakes (Sc)6.3 km (3.9 mi) · reservable
- Oconee Point9.1 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Coneross Park11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Broyles17.7 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
- Springfield25 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph South Carolina Botanical Garden?
What time is golden hour at South Carolina Botanical Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at South Carolina Botanical Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from South Carolina Botanical Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South Carolina Botanical Garden?
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.